Editing Krav Maga (section)

==History==
[[File:Team Minot 'kicks' up their techniques 121007-F-RB551-106.jpg|thumb|US Air Force Security forces members during Krav Maga training.]]

[[Imre "Imi" Lichtenfeld]] (also known as Imi S'de-Or) was born in 1910 in [[Budapest]], [[Austro-Hungary]] to a Jewish family and grew up in Pozsony, today's [[Bratislava]] ([[Slovakia]]). Lichtenfeld became active in a wide range of sports, including gymnastics, wrestling, and boxing.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bluestein|first=Jonathan|author-link=Jonathan Bluestein|year=2024|title=Martial Arts Politics Explained|isbn=979-8335564984}}</ref> In 1928, Lichtenfeld won the Slovak Youth Wrestling Championship, and in 1929 the adult championship (light and middle weight divisions).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bio Imi Lichtenfeld {{!}} Fédération Européenne de Krav-maga|url=https://www.krav-maga.net/en/bio-imi-lichtenfeld|website=www.krav-maga.net|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021111441/https://www.krav-maga.net/en/bio-imi-lichtenfeld|archive-date=October 21, 2018|access-date=25 May 2017}}</ref> That same year, he also won the national boxing championship and an international gymnastics championship. During the ensuing decade, Lichtenfeld's athletic activities focused mainly on wrestling, both as a contestant and a trainer.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

In the mid-1930s, [[anti-Semitic]] [[Pogrom|riots]] began to threaten the Jews of [[Bratislava]], Czechoslovakia. Lichtenfeld became the leader of a group of Jewish boxers and wrestlers who took to the streets to defend Jewish neighborhoods against the growing numbers of anti-Semitic [[Nazism|Nazis]].<ref>[https://www.kravmagaluxembourg.com/en/le-krav-maga/le-fondateur Krav Maga Luxembourg]</ref> Lichtenfeld quickly discovered, however, that actual fighting was very different from competition fighting, and although boxing and wrestling were good sports, they were not always practical for the aggressive and brutal nature of [[Street fighting|street combat]]. It was then that he started to re-evaluate his ideas about fighting and started developing the skills and techniques that would eventually become Krav Maga. Having become a thorn in the side of the equally anti-Semitic local authorities, in 1940 Lichtenfeld left his home with his family and friends on the last refugee ship to escape Europe.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

After making his way to [[Mandatory Palestine]], Lichtenfeld joined the [[Haganah]] paramilitary organization.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kravmaga.com.br/languages/eua/?id=o-criador |title=Krav Maga |last1=Figueiredo |first1=Victor |last2=Carlos |first2=João |last3=Martins |first3=Marcelo |website=www.kravmaga.com.br |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129094314/http://www.kravmaga.com.br/languages/eua/?id=o-criador |archive-date=January 29, 2019 |url-status=dead |access-date=25 May 2017}}</ref> In 1944 Lichtenfeld began training fighters in his areas of expertise: physical fitness, swimming, wrestling, use of the knife, and defense against knife attacks. During this period, Lichtenfeld trained several elite units of the Haganah, including the [[Palmach]] (striking force of the Haganah and forerunner of the special units of the Israel Defense Forces) and the [[Palyam]], as well as groups of police officers.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

In 1948, when the [[State of Israel]] was founded and the IDF was formed, Lichtenfeld became Chief Instructor for Physical Fitness and Krav Maga at the IDF School of Combat Fitness.<ref>[https://kravmaga-ikmf.com/krav-maga/the-founder/ International Krav Maga Federation]</ref> He served in the IDF for about 20 years, during which time he developed and refined his unique method for self-defense and [[hand-to-hand combat]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kravmagatoronto.com/imi-lichtenfeld/|title=Krav Maga Toronto {{!}} Imi Lichtenfeld, Founder of Krav Maga|work=Krav Maga Toronto|access-date=25 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709184916/https://kravmagatoronto.com/imi-lichtenfeld/|archive-date=July 9, 2018|url-status=dead|language=en-US}}</ref> Self-defense was not a new concept, since nearly all martial arts had developed some form of defensive techniques in their quest for tournament or sport dominance.  However, self-defense was based strictly upon the scientific and dynamic principles of the human body. In 1965 judo training was added as part of the Krav Maga training. Until 1968 there were no grades in Krav Maga. Then a trainee's grades were determined largely by his knowledge in [[judo]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://krav-maga.wincol.ac.il/?page_id=1910 |title=Eli Avikzar |website=krav-maga.wincol.ac.il/ |access-date=29 February 2020 |archive-date=22 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222123609/http://krav-maga.wincol.ac.il/?page_id=1910 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="traditionalkravmaga_154">{{Cite news|url=http://traditionalkravmaga.com/page154.html |title= Eli Avikzar |website=traditionalkravmaga.com}}</ref>

In 1968, Eli Avikzar, one of Lichtenfeld's principal students and first black belt,<ref name="what-is-k-a-m-i">{{cite web|url=https://kravmagen.ca/what-is-k-a-m-i/ |title=What is K.A.M.I? |website=kravmagen.ca}}</ref> began learning [[aikido]]. In 1971 Eli left for France, where he received a black belt in aikido.<ref name="The Krav Maga Expert">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8gjBDwAAQBAJ&q=Krav+Maga+aikido+wrestling++judo&pg=PA17 |title=The Krav Maga Expert – Mental Training to become Pure Krav Maga and Hand-to ... |via= Google Books |isbn=978-1794739185 |last1=Aviram |first1=Boaz |date=11 November 2019 |publisher=Lulu.com }}</ref> Upon his return, Avikzar started working as an instructor alongside Imi to integrate more traditional martial arts into Krav Maga.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kravmagen.ca/founder-of-israeli-martial-arts/ |title=About the Founder Eli Avikzar |website=kravmagen.ca}}</ref>  Then in 1974 Imre retired and gave Eli Avikzar control over the Krav Maga training center in Netanya.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://krav-maga.ro/en/history-of-krav-maga |title=History of Krav-Maga |website=krav-maga.ro}}</ref> Shortly after, in 1976, Avikzar joined the permanent force of IDF, as head of the Krav Maga section. The role of Krav Maga in the army advanced greatly after Eli's appointment. More courses were given, and every P.E. instructor was obliged to learn Krav Maga. Avikzar continued to develop Krav Maga within the IDF until his retirement in 1987. Up to this date, Eli had trained 80,000 male soldiers and 12,000 female soldiers.<ref name="what-is-k-a-m-i"/>

Further pursuing excellence as a student of martial arts, Eli went to Germany in 1977 and received a [[Black belt (martial arts)|black belt]] in aikido from the European Federation.<ref name="wincol.ac.il"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.judo-for-self-defense.com/krav-maga.html|title=Israeli Krav Maga vs. Commando Krav Maga|work=judo-for-self-defense.com}}</ref> In 1978 the Krav Maga association was established, and in 1989, as an active member of the judo association, Eli Avikzar helped to contribute to the general development of professional and rank committees within the larger Krav Maga community by founding the Israeli Krav Magen Association (KAMI).<ref name="wincol.ac.il"/><ref> {{Cite web|title=Founder Of K.A.M.I {{!}} kami|url=https://www.kami.org.il/language/en/founder-of-k-a-m-i/|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-08}}</ref> KAMI is a parallel discipline to the original Krav Maga. Eli retired as the Chief Krav Maga instructor in 1987 and Boaz Aviram became the third person to hold the position, being the last head instructor to have studied directly with both Lichtenfeld and Avikzar.<ref name="traditionalkravmaga_154"/><ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://krav-maga.com/training/founder
 |title       = Founder of Krav Maga
 |work        = krav-maga.com
 |access-date  = 5 March 2013
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130317102746/http://krav-maga.com/training/founder
 |archive-date = 17 March 2013
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>